


One Life

by graceisintodrummers



Category: One Direction (Band), One Tree Hill
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tree Hill, Angst, Basketball, Brothers, F/M, Fluff, High School, I don't know, I'm bad at tagging sorry, M/M, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-08-14
Packaged: 2018-02-11 02:52:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2050788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graceisintodrummers/pseuds/graceisintodrummers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis has everything Liam hasn't. The father, the girlfriend, the spot in the basketball team and the fame. </p>
<p>But if you look closer, you see that maybe Louis isn't that happy and maybe he just wishes for the things his half-brother has.<br/>And maybe, just maybe both of them have more in common than the game and their father, yet they still spent the most of their lives hating each other.</p>
<p>As Liam joins the Tree Hill Ravens the chaos is perfect and everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Feel this.

**Author's Note:**

> I already posted this like a year ago on my first account. But then I deleted everything, before I ever finished it.  
> Now I give it a second try. I changed some bits and stuff I didn't like.
> 
> First Story Line:
> 
> Liam and Louis only share two things. Their love for basketball and -well their father. But except for that they have nothing in common. Louis is the star of the high school basketball team and Liam only plays at the river cord. Louis has two parents, Liam only has his mum, but maybe he is better with her. They lived in the same town forever but they had never spoke before. But now everything has changed since Coach Cowell had convinced Liam to play in the team with his brother.
> 
>  
> 
> The story is based on "One Tree Hill", the show that I grew up with and that taught me so much about life.
> 
> I don't own the show or the characters or One Direction or anything really. Just my thoughts.
> 
> Enjoy :)
> 
> Song for the first chapter:   
> Feel this by Bethany Joy Lenz

“You're doing what? Are you fucking kidding me?” Harry looks up to his best friend's face to see if he is joking or not. “But you have to understand, it is a great opportunity for me.” “Yeah it is the chance to get punched the shit out of you. Damn, did you forget who is in the team, Liam?” As Harry sees the sad face of his friend he calms down and puts one arm around Liam's shoulder. “I'm sorry man. I know how much you want this. I'm just not sure if it's the right thing to do.” “I know Hazza, it's just...I have the feeling that everything bad in my life is because of Louis. I have no father because of him! And I do not want to skip this chance because I'm afraid of him.” “I know Liam...just be careful okay?” Harry hugs the older boy, who has been his best friend for what feels like forever now.

 

A few streets away at the same town, Dan Scott was yelling at his son Louis. “Liam is getting on the team and you didn't say anything? He's going to steal your place, you know that right? You're a shame for this family Louis.” “But Dad, I'm better than him, it doesn't matter if we play for the same team or not!” “You sure about that, son?” Dan asks with a sarcastic tone in his voice. “You'd better go figure that out!” With that he leaves the room, and Louis is alone with no one but himself. “Damn!”, the boy screams and lies down on his bed. Sometimes he imagines what would have happened if his Dad would have made another choice. Would Liam be the star of the basketball team right now? Louis loves the game, he really does, but sometime he just wishes he could escape for a moment and just be a teenager.  
He picks up his phone and calls his friend Niall.

30 minutes later, Louis, Niall, Stan and Zayn sit down in Niall's room talking about a plan to get rid of Liam.  
“We can't just kidnap him and beat him up or something!”, Niall says with a worried expression on his face? “Why not? That douche bag deserves it!”, Stan laughs. “Wait, wait, wait!”, Louis stopps his friends. “What about I ask him to play one on one. If he wins he's in, if I win he's out!” “Are you sure you would beat him?” Niall asks. “I saw him playing, he isn't that bad!” “I won't have to beat him. I know that he is a good player, my dad made this very clear this morning. This is why we will kidnap him before. If he doesn't show up I win, right?” He looked at his friends with a grinner face. Stan smiles back, but Niall still looked worried, even shocked. “But Lou, that's not fair!” “Well little Nialler, life isn't fair at all. You finally have to learn this!” Louis says to his younger friend and ends the conversation. Zayn looks at his best friends. He hasn't said anything the whole time, but he doesn't feel good about this.

The next morning Harry waits outside of Liam's house for his friend to get in the car. “Come on buddy, you can't be late today is your first day as a former member of the Ravens!” Liam gets in the car and mumbles something. He had never been a morning person. As the two boys pulls in the parking lot they see a strange welcoming committee waiting for them. “Good morning brother!”, Louis says with a big smile on his face. “What do you want?”, Liam asks looking at his brother. “Oh I? I just want to play against you. One on One, no rules. If you win, you can stay in the team. If you lose, you're out?” He looks at the taller boy. “What do you say?” “Friday night, river court.”, Liam answers still looking seriously at the other boy. “I'm looking forward to it!” He turns around to see if Harry is still with him. “Come on Hazza, we need to go!” He makes his way past Louis and his friends, pulling Harry with him. “You'd better take care of your little girlfriend!”, Stan shouts but Liam ignores him. He walks straight forward until he and Harry are far away from the other boys. He leans against the wall taking a deep breath. Harry pulls his arms around the older boy. “I'm sorry your brother is such a jerk. Can't believe you two are related.” Liam leans his head on Harry's shoulder and buries his face in his sweater. “At least I have you!”, he says, smiling a little for the first time this day.

 

Back at home Louis sneaks into his room to avoid his father. He knows that Dan had done a lot for him, but he just can't stand him sometimes. His mother is always busy working, so most of the time it is just the two of them. In the eyes of his father, Louis is a complete fail. He isn't as good in school as he should be, he isn't a good enough player according to his father. If he'd only know that he was gay, Louis can't imagine the reaction of his father. Maybe he would made him leave the house for ever or, in the worst case, beat him to dead. All that Louis wants is to be himself, but somehow it seems too much to ask for.

Harry opens the door to Karen's Cafe and sees Liam standing behind the corner. “Hey you're up early!”, Harry greets his friend. “Just opened up for my mum. And made you some coffee sleepy head”, Liam says with a smile on his face. “And that's why I love you, Li!” Harry answers thankfully and takes the hot mug. “Who wouldn't?” Liam asks. “Probably Louis!” Harry says and the boys laughs “Today is your stupid match, isn't it?” Harry sits down by the corner and puts some sugar in his coffee. “Yeah, you'll be there?” Liam looks at Harry with his deep brown eyes, really worrying if he'd come. “Well that's one of the most stupid questions I've ever heard!” Liam smiles at his friend. “Let's go then, we don't need to be late for school today.”

Niall waits in the corner of the hallway for Liam to come out his English class. Louis and Zayn already went home and he knows that Harry has maths at the other side of the building. He had to make sure that no one would see him talking to Liam. After 5 very long minutes Liam finally comes out of the room, walking directly into Niall's direction. “Hey!”, Niall calls as he had checked there is no one around who would talk to Louis. Liam looks surprised as he sees the blonde boy walking beside him. “What do you want?” “Cancel the match!” Niall says without any warning. “What? Is Louis sending you?” “No way. He doesn't even know I'm here. He is just...not the fairest boy in school, you know?” “I'm aware of that!”, Liam answers. “But I'm not going to quit, so that your stupid friend can tell everyone that I'm a loser. Anyway, it's none of your business. Goodbye!” He leaves the younger boy behind and walks towards his car. “Liam, please!” Niall is following him. Liam turns around, looking really angry. “What, Niall?” “Just...be careful. Please?!” Liam laughs. “Why would you even care?”

“Stan, I just wanted to know if you're still up to the plan?” Louis talks to his best friend on the phone while Joy is lingering on his bed. “What plan, Lou?” she asks. “Nothing!” he says but the blonde girl looks concerned. “Tell me that you are not going to hurt Liam.” He looks away. He can't tell her the truth, but there is no way lying to her either. “Louis, I thought you were done with all this bad boy behaviour. I thought we got through this.” She is yelling at him and Louis knoes she had every right to do it. He had promised her so many times. And even though he secretly likes boys, Joy is his girlfriend and he loves her in some way. “No, I'm not going to hurt anyone. I promised you Honey.” He softly touches her cheek and places an gentle kiss on her lips.”I promise, Joy!” She doesn't look really convinced but she isn't yelling at him any more so Louis hopes that she won't asked more questions.

Hazel is cleaning some tables in Karen's Cafe as her phone vibrates. It is a text from Harry. 'Hales, don't forget the game tonight, Liam wishes to have the trio completed. I'll pick you up at 8.” The girl smiles and walks to the corner where her boss is standing. “Karen, can I leave early today? Please, Liam is having that match and...” Karen smiles and nods. “Sure Hazel, that won't be a problem.” “Thanks!”, the brown-haired girl says in excitement and gives Karen a short hug. She, Liam and Harry had been friends since she could walk so Liam's mum is basically family.

She goes back to the table she had been cleaning as the door opens and a blonde girl walk in. Hazel closes her eyes for a moment and opens them again to see if she is dreaming but Joy Jagelski is standing in the Café looking around as if she is searching for someone. As her eyes met Hazel's she walks up to the smaller girl. “Hey Hazel!”, she greets, almost shy. “Joy, what are you doing here?” The brunette is more confused than before. What is the head of the cheerleaders doing here and why the hell is she talking to her? “I shouldn't be here...”, Joy starts.”It's just...I'm afraid Louis and the boys might be up to something. Just...” She looks concerned, her green eyes meeting Hazel's brown ones. “Take care of Liam!” She smiles sadly, turns around and is gone.

  
Hazel picks up here phone and dials Liam's number. “Damn, Li, answer your fucking phone!”, she says to herself as she gets out of her working clothes. “Hello, this is Liam, I guess I have better things to do than answering my phone so leave a message.” Hazel remembers the night when Liam had made this voice mail and normally she smiles every time she hear it because she can hear Harry laughing in the background. But right now she is really upset that Liam isn't answering his phone. She is wearing a plain jeans and a black top, nothing special, but she couldn't care less. She says her goodbyes to Karen and steps outside. Harry isn't there yet so she tries to reach Liam again.

Liam can feel his phone vibrating in the bag of his jeans but he can't answer it because his hands are tied up behind his back. He is in a car and he csn't see the driver, but he is sure that it is Louis. Zayn and some guy called Stan are sitting next to him in the back seat. He isn't able see who is sitting next to Louis but it might probably be Niall. That would explain why he asked him to skip the match this morning. Because he had known what Louis was planing. Liam hates everything in this moment. He hates his father, his brother, stupid Niall for his oh so helpful warning but most of all himself for being so stupid. The car stops and Stan pulls Liam outside. The boy stumbles and falls, he can hear the boys laughing. As he looks up, the four of them are standing above him, but surprisingly the fourth one isn't Niall, it was Aiden, another boy from the basketball team. “You are not going to steal my place, bastard!”, Louis says in an angry voice and Liam can see the hate in his eyes. “You heard him, son of a bitch!” Aiden kicks Liam into his stomach, slightly at first but then again harder. Liam tries not to show his pain but the kicks make him cry. Stan joins Aiden and Liam clinches his teeth together, trying not to make a sound. “Enough!”, Louis says and his friends stop immediately. Liam doesn't open his eyes but he hears the boys walking away and a minute later the engine starts and they leave him alone at the ground. He tries to breath slowly but his pain doesn't go away. He doesn't even try to stand up he just lays there and listens to the sound of his own breath. After a few minutes he can hear the sound of a car. Are they coming back to beat him to death?

 

“Liam, are you okay?”, a familiar voice asks and Liam opens his eyes to recognize Zayn. “Can you stand up?”, the boy seems really worried as he removes the tape from Liam's hands and mouth. Liam takes a deep breath, trying to stand up but the pain is overwhelming. “Shit!”, he mumbles. Zayn reaches out to help him find his balance, but Liam immediately stumbles backwards. “Don't touch me!” Zayn steps back and watches Liam carefully. “Why did you come back? Wasn't that enough? Did Louis send you to make sure I wouldn't make it to the game?” Zayn shakes his head and gets into his car again. “Are you coming?” Liam frowns. “What?”  
“You still want to play, don't you?” The younger boy nods, but he still doesn't understand

“Harry, I'm really, really afraid that something happened to him!” Hazel and Harry are standing at the basketball field by the river searching for their friend in the big crowd of people. They didn't expect so many to be there, but most of them are on Team Louis. Harry sees Jude and Davis Baker and walks up to them. “Hey did you guys see Liam?” They often play basketball together and they are really good friends with the baker twins. “No sorry”, Jude said, “thought he'd already be there.” Harry turna around to see Hazel yelling at Louis. “What have you done? Where is Liam?” she screams almost crying because she is afraid and even more angry. “Maybe your friend's a chicken.” Louis says with a naughty smile on his face. “He is not!”, a voice says and the whole crowd turns around to see Liam standing in the flickering light of the street lamp. He doesn't look well and Harry wonders what happened to his best friend. Was Hazel right all along? Had Louis something to do with this? “I'm here to play!” “Liam!”, Hazel shouts and jumps into is arms. Liam holds the girl tightly not breaking the eye contact with Louis. “Can we start?” he asks his half brother. Louis is surprised, shocked that his brother is here, but he doesn't let the crowd see it. “Ready when you are!”, he says.

 

“Go Liam, you almost made it!”, Harry is crying and beside him the Baker twins, James McFadden, Taylor Evans and some other people are screaming Liam's name. Louis' fanbase is bigger but they can't drown the voices of Liam's friends. It is standing 9:8 for him. One more goal and he win, but he feels the pain in his chest growing every second. Louis is standing very close to him, trying to steal the basketball away from him. But Liam doesn't let him. He manages to pull away, does two steps towards the hoop, jumps and troops the ball inside the basket.  
As his feet touches the ground again he hears the screaming and the cheers and then he collapses right on the field.

Liam wakes up in his own bed, Hazel sleeping at his right, Harry laying on the other side , awake. “What happened?” Harry asks as he sees that the older boy has opened his eyes. Liam tells his best friend everything from the kidnapping to the punching to the rescuing but he doesn't say anything about the strange feelings he had when it came to Zayn. He still has no clue why he came back. And he shivers by the thought of his dark eyes starring him.  
Harry is upset, more than that and Lima understands. He would be too if he wasn't so tired. And he loves Harry for caring to much. But right now he just wants to close his eyes and drifts back into sleep again. “Hazza, please can we talk tomorrow, I'm exhausted.” Harry nods. “Alright Li, I'll see you in the morning. Good night.” He is about to stand up but Liam take his hand. “Would you...would you mind to stay?”, he asks him, almost shy. “Just me, you and Hazel, like in old days!” Harry smiles and gets in the bed again. “I guess I'd like that. Just the three of us.” Liam puts the blanket over his friends and himself. Hazel turns around and opens her eyes a little bit. “Li, you okay?”, she whispers, still sleepy. “I'm fine Hales!”, he says and smiles because it is true. Right now with his best friends beside him he is just fine. Hazel closes her eyes again and snuggles closer, burying her face in Liam's shirt. The boys places a soft kiss on her forehead before he pulls Harry closer; putting one arm around his waist. He feels save somehow with the two most important people in his life at his side. Before he falls asleep he promises himself that none of that what might happen this year will get in the way of their friendship.


	2. I won't give up.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas Moore once said:   
> “We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible. To have real conversations with people may seem like such a simple, obvious suggestion, but it involves courage and risk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's song is I won't give up by Jason Mraz. Beautiful :)
> 
> Liam's first game as a former Raven. Also a first little Ziam moment. And Niall is just the sweetheart he is.
> 
> Enjoy :)

As Liam walks across the parking lots towards the school on Monday something is different. Normally no one would notice him. Normally he would make his way trough the other pupils unnoticed and meet Hazel down the hallway. And normally Harry was with him so he was able to shut out the others. But today he is alone, because Harry had overslept and, the even stranger part, all the people seem to look at him. Some of them greet him, the girls are smiling, but some of them turn away and he can hear them talking about him. It feels strange, it does, but not really bad at all.

Louis is a wrack as he wakes up at Monday morning. He barely slept the last nights because all he could think of is that he is failing. His father had been right all along, he is a loser, he is not god enough. This week is the first game in this season and all he can do was watching Liam being the hero. He is a hell of a player, Louis has to admit this. He is good, and the boy has no doubt that Liam would steal his place in the team eventually. Damn, he hates this guy.  
He gets up because because he is already a little late for school but that also means that his Dad already left. He never checks on him to get up except on game days, because you are not allowed to play if you don't attend to school on the day the game is.

Later that day, Harry, Liam and Hazel sit on the roof of Karen's Café talking about the changes in school. “It's like there are two sides now. You're either on team Liam or on team Louis, and no one wants to be on team Louis because their captain is a total douche bag!” The boys laugh and Hazel smiles. “But I mean that,” she says. “You are really popular now Li. Hope you still like us though!” Liam smiles fondly at his two best friends and stands up, without saying anything. “Hey Li!”, Hazel complains. “Are you going to walk away from us?” He laughs and pulls a lose stone out of the wall. “Hales, Hazza, I know the semester has already started, and we have already put some wishes in here, but I have to write one more down.” He takes a pencil out of the old box and writes down: _No matter what will change in the course of this year, Haz, Hazel and I will still as perfect as today!_

Hazel walks over to him trying to read his prophecy. “Hey Hazel, you know we are not allowed to read them before the year is over!” Harry laughs. “He probably just wrote that in the end of the year he will have much better friends than us!” Liam joins him laughing but then his expression changes. He look from Harry to Hazel. Damn, he loves those two idiots. “You know that is not even possible!”

Practise iss really strange for both of the boys this week. Liam barely knows someone in the team, expect for Davis Baker, one of his friends from the riverside. Most of the other boys avoid to talk to him at all. Hazel would say that was because there are on Team Louis. Louis himself, well he talks to him, but there is barely a nice word between the things he said. Louis wasn't at his best this week. He is having really bad self-doubts. His father isn't making it any better with constantly saying that he wil fail on Friday.

It is Tuesday night and Joy was over. Louis thought that a little distracting from the game tomorrow would be exactly what he needed. They are lying on his bed, kissing each other softly, his hands on her hips, her back, her butt. He can feel her, smell her but nothing of it makes the thoughts go away, the thoughts that he is not good enough. Joy pulls away and sighs. “What is wrong Lou?”, she askes while looking into his eyes. Louis loves her eyes, they are bright and green and have something deep and mysterious. “Nothing, really!”, he answers trying to kiss her again. But Joy pushes him away. “Louis, I know that we are not that kind of couple, I mean, we don't talk about our problems and stuff, but Louis, I'm here for you, now matter what!” Louis closes his eyes. He really considers talking to her, about everything, but he can't. It as to early, he isn't ready yet. Instead he pulls her closer and buries his face in her hair. “Can you stay the night, please? And hold me?” If Joy is confused about his wish but she doesn't show him. Their relationship iss anything but sweet. It is just like they can't go without each other. They are fighting a lot, but she loves him. And right now she wants to be there for him, even if he won't tell him what the problem was. She kisses his lips one more time before she closes her eyes. “I love you, Lou!” Then she falls asleep, holding him as close as possible.

  
  


On the next morning Liam has to open up the Cafe, so he is a little late. He rushes out of the door and runs into someone. “Sorry, I wasn't looking, I...”, he stops as he sees who the person is. “Zayn.” “Liam.” Zayn carried some papers which are now spread all over the ground. Liam picks a few of them up and looks at them. They are some really great drawings but Zayn takes them out his hands harshly. “Those are my sketches!”, he says angry. “Um, I wasn't looking!”, Liam answers. “Yeah right. This is personal okay? Do I read your diary?” Liam smiles a little about how furious Zayn is over his drawings. “I don't have a diary!”, he says grinning. “No?”, Zayn laughs. “Wouldn't be that interesting either way. Dear Diary, my Daddy doesn't love me! PS: Stay out of my stuff!And you'd better go to school if you don't want to be suspended from the game!” He turns around and walks away, without looking at the other boy. Liam shakes his head. He doesn't know that Zayn can draw at all, but he thinks it is very funny how bitchy he is about his stuff.

 

Louis wakes up early this morning with Joy still sleeping beside him. He places a soft kiss on her forehead and stands up. He goes upstairs to the kitchen not expecting to find his dad there. “Dad.”  
“Son.”, Dan answers, smiling a little. “You're up early Dad.” “Yeah it's your first game of the season. Everything has to be perfect!” “Yeah!”, Louis mutters. “You're prepared, aren't you? You know you can't fail today! The first game decides a lot. You can't be just okay, you have to give more than 100 %!” “Yeah Dad, I know!”, Louis says and goes back to his room. Joy woke up and is standing in front of the mirror. Louis walks behind her and puts his arms around her. He kisses her on the cheek and she smiles. “I'm thinking about quitting the team.”, he says.  
“Right.”, Joy answers not quite believing what she had heard. “No, I'm serious.”, Louis answers. “I don't even like it any more. Simon can't stand me. It's never good enough for my dad.” Joy smiles as she turns around to her boyfriend. “I think you should. Why not, right? I mean, you can quit the team and I'll quit cheer-leading and then we can just walk away from it. Louis, let's do it!” Louis smiles and kisses her sweetly. “Yeah, right. That's what I'm gonna do. I gotta go. I'll see you at the game.” He kisses her goodbye and walks out of the house.

There are two minutes left. Two minutes till his first game as a raven. Two minutes till he would play in front of the whole school. “Hey Liam, we have to go out!”, Davis says and pushes Liam out of the fitting room. The lights in the gym glare Liam and he tries to make out his friends in the crowd of people. He sees Harry sitting beside Hazel, Jude and Josh. He searches for his mum, but can't find her. That's strange, he thinks, I thought she said she'd come. He shakes his heas and tries to shut all of his negative thoughts out of his head. He has to concentrate on the game. This is his chance to proof that he is worth it, that he deserve it to be in the team. “One, two, three RAVENS!” All Liam hears are the people around him screaming and cheering and than the game begins.

  
He sucks. He just sucks, it is really horrible to see. He has never been so glad that a game was over. They win, but that's just because Louis played a hell of game. As it is over, Liam walks out of the building as fast as possible. He doesn't even bother to take a shower, he just walks out of the school because he doesn't want to see anyone. “Liam, Liam wait!” He turns around to see Harry following him. “Hey!” The curly-haired boy wraps his arms around his friend and Liam lets it happen.  
Later they sit down on the riverside, just the two of them. Harry has one arm around Liam's shoulder and they just sit there silently. After minutes or hours, he doesn't even know, Liam raises his voice. “I don't think I'll ever join the team again.” Harry looks up. “You don't want to play any more?” “No. You know I've never walked away from anything before, Harry?” “Yeah”, Harry nods. Liam covers his face with his hands and whispers. “But I can't do it. And even worse, I don't know why I can't do it. You know, it's like, no matter how confusing or screwed up life got, the game always made sense. It was mine, you know. And in a lot of ways it's who I am. But I can't be that person in their gym, or in their uniforms, or… in their world.” He stops and Harry notices the tears in the corner of his eyes. He pulls him into a hug and rubs his back in comfort. “I hear you, Li. But I know you. And I know that no matter what happens you're still going to be the same guy you always were. No uniform, no… whatever is gonna ruin that, you know? “

For Louis on the opposite it is one of the best nights in a really long time. Well it is until he gets home. “Where have you been!?”,his dad asks with a loud voice as he opens the door. “We went out, celebrating. We won the game, did you notice it?” “Yeah ,but you could have done better. You don't give enough Louis, you always want to have fun and forget to work!” Louis shakes his head because he can't believe what Dan is saying. “That's not fair. I was good. I scored more points than the other boys combined!” “I'm just saying. You aren't there yet!”, Dan says and leaves his son standing in the hallway. It is always the same, he is never good enough. Why can't his father leave him alone for just one night. He closes the door after him and collapses of the bed. He doesn't want to be alone now, so he calls Niall, then Zayn and asks them to come over. He doesn't plan to talk to them about his problems or anything but he wants to have them around. The two of them are his best friends, maybe his only friends, and around them he feels...good enough being himself and right now there is nothing else he needs more.

On Monday the first thing Liam does iss walking into the office of Coach Cowell. “Liam, hello!”, the couch smiles. “How can I help you?” “I'm leaving the team!”, Liam mutters without even saying hello. “ Simon smiled a little and shakes his head. “No you're not son. At least not yet!” Liam didn't expect that. At the end it is his decision if he wants to stay or not. “But Coach, I can't...I won't...I'm just....” Simon cuts him off. “There's no shame in being afraid. Hell, we're all afraid. What you gotta do is figure out what you're afraid of because when you put a face on it you can beat it. Better yet, you can use it. And no get out of here, I need to work!”  
Liam is really upset as he walks out of the office and runs into a person. It is Zayn again. “Damn, you're always so powerful!”, Zayn says with a big smile and walks away without another word. Liam looks after him confused as he sees that the other boy lost something. “Hey you lost...” he starts. As he sees what Zayn lost he doesn't continue. His sketches. Liam takes them and decides to give them back to Zayn later.

Louis practises hard this week, maybe harder then he ever did. Liam practises too, but mostly down at the river where he is on his own. For a reason they don't know, they had the same goal, the same wish. To enjoy the game again. But it was only working for one of them.  
“You know down here, it is all okay. It's how it always was, how I like it. But back in the gym I just suck!”, Li says as he shoots and scores. Hazel sighs. “Look, it's only one game, Li. Even Jordan played lousy in his first pro game.” Liam laughs. “Michael Jordan scored 16 points in his first pro game.” “Yeah. I know that. I just didn't think you did.” “Even I know that!”, Harry says and all the three of them start laughing. It feels good.

It is Thursday and Liam has to decide whether he stays in the team or not. He is sitting in the Café his head on his hands thinking about the pros and cons. His mum sits down beside him. “Tomorrow is your next game, isn't it?” “Don't know yet.”, he answers not looking up. “I don't understand that.” Karen wonders. Now Liam looks up. “I failed mum, I was a loser out there and you don't understand why I think about quitting?” “I'm sure it wasn't that bad!” Karen tries to comfort her son but she makes it even worse. Liam stands up. “How'd you know! You weren't even there okay? So don't tell me about how bad it was!” He rushes out of the Café and slams the door behind him.

 

Liam is sitting in an empty class room, his Ipod on maximum volume and stares at the clock. It is 11.24 am. He has until noon to tell Coach Cowell his decision he hasn't even made one yet. “I think you shouldn't leave!”, someone says and Liam turns around to see Niall Horan standing in the door. He turns the music off and tries to hide how confused he is about his appearance. “Niall, I didn't see you since...” “I know!”, the blonde boy smiles. “But I'm on team Louis so I can't just walk up and talk to you, you know.” Liam looks down. “Then why are you here?” “Because I think you are making a mistake if you leave. I know you think that you don't belong here, that you don't fit in, but that's not true. I want you to know that you're here for a reason, for a good reason. You deserve this.” Liam shakes his head and looks up to see the boy still smiling. “How can you be sure?”, he asks. “Because I saw you play at the riverside. And it is beautiful, how you play it is just...magic okay. Don't let them take away your talent. It is all yours!” He smiles and leaves as soon as he appeared and Liam is all by himself again. He just sits there thinking about the things Niall just said. When he looks up again it is 11.55 am so he stands up immediately and runs towards the Coach's office. He isn't careful and bumps into Zayn, the third time this week. “I'm starting to think that you can't get enough of me!”, Zayn smiles.

 

Harry is sitting beside Hazel squeezing her hand as Liam scores the first time. The jump around and hug each other, shouting Liam's name over and over again. Down on the field, Liam can hear his friends screaming. He receives the ball from Davis and score again. Davis high-fives him and Lima smiles. He turns around to see the crowd and smiles even more as he sees his mum standing beside Hazel, cheering.  
He smiled because he made the right decision, he is really sure about that in this moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I like this. I wrote this a year ago so...  
> But I don't want to rewrite everything.
> 
> Whatever, recognized some OTH quotes?  
> Look forward for Larry in the next chapter :)
> 
> Lots of love!


	3. Holding on and letting go.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> E.E. Cummings once wrote, "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle, which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is "Holding on and letting go" by Ross Copperman. If you don't know it, you should really listen to it it's beyond beautiful!  
> http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lo75lwzMBj1qlx7bjo1_500.jpg -> This is the picture Liam is talking about, it's from One Tree Hill.  
> Enjoy xx

Everything depends on this last 5 seconds of the play. Will the Ravens be able to win this game ? Will this season continue like it started? Will this evening …?”, the announcer is yelling but Liam isn't listening. He feel the ball in his hands and pain in his heart. He is standing behind the three-point line and looks at the hoop. He can make it, he can...

“Unbelievable! Liam Scott with the 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the Tree Hill Ravens are still undefeated! And I tell you what, if you're going to play the Ravens this season, you better take note, there is a new Scott in town!”  
“Liam!”, Davis jumps in his arms with a big smile on his face and even the other boys hug him, congratulate him, give him high-fives. Well everyone, except for Louis. He just stands there watching the other boys for a minute and leaves. He doesn't't feel like staying even though they had won. Because he can't get rid of the feeling that he just lost something.

As he gets out of the fitting room there where just a few people left in the gym. He walks over to his father without even wanting to. “I thought this was your team!”, is the first thing Dan says to his son. “Whatever you say!”, Louis answers and walks away, because he isn't in the mood for a fight. He is not in the mood for anything really.

Liam on the other hand is in a great mood. He walks through the streets of Tree Hill with Harry and Hazel and he can't stop smiling. A week from now the yearly “Burning Boat Festival” would take place, where every citizen can throw something in the boat which he wants to let go of.  
And he wants to let go of so many things right now but he will start with his name. Before the game he had removed “Scott” from his jersey and now he puts it in the boat to burn it. “My father will never ever make me suffer again. He didn't want me, well and now I don't need him any more, neither him or his son. I'll let go, because I already have the best family ever.” Liam says and smiles. Hazel squeezes his hand and Harry puts one arm around his shoulder.

Next week in practise there is another bad surprise for Louis. Simon gives his spot as shooting guard to Liam and it drives him crazy but that is not even the worst part of the day. When he got home his dad is already waiting for him. “I hear Simon gave your spot to Liam? Do you even care that it is slipping away? All the work we put into, all the plans we've made?” Louis looks at his father with disgust. “All the plans you've made, dad!”, he answers slowly. “All the work I've done.”  
With this words he storms into his room and closes the door behind him. He knows he has to do something about Liam. His dad always says that you have to find the weakest spot of your enemies and use it. And even if his dad is a jerk after all he knows some things.

The next morning Louis recognizes this weak spot. Liam is standing on his locker with this Harry guy and Louis can't help but wonder if he would ever have a friend as close as the two of them. They are laughing together and Liam looks like he really, deeply cares for this guy.  
Louis finds out that Harry was giving tutoring lessons and takes the chance.

Harry is looking through some papers as Louis walks in the classroom. “You're Harry Styles right?” “Uhm, yes, can I help you?” “I hope so. You're my tutor!” Harry looks at him really confused. “I don't think so!” Louis gives him an innocent look. “But why?” “I'm sorry, I'm best friends with Liam.” Louis smiles his famous cheeky smile. “Well, then I'm sorry too!” Harry shakes his head. “Look, I'm going to find someone else for you.” “There is no one. I would be fine if there was.” “If there were”, Harry says automatically and regrets it in the next second. “See you're already helping me!”, the older boy smiles at Harry. “Look, I can't help you. And on top of that, I won't help you. Okay?” Harry turns around and walks away from Louis. He wouldn't help him because Liam would hate him and beside of that Louis was a complete jerk.

And Louis really is a jerk when it comes to Liam. He does everything to make him feel like he doesn't belong to the team. He tells the other boys that he was stealing their game time, they stole his clothes when he was in the shower, they broke into his locker and many other things. Lima didn't tell Harry or Hazel or even his mom, because he doesn't want Louis to know that he hurt him with this.

He still has Zayn's sketches and between them he found a letter for a contest from the local newspaper. They are searching for someone to draw their weekly comic strip.  
He thought that Zayn were planing to give his sketches to them so had given them in for him. But he is proven wrong.

“Who do you think you are, Liam Scott?” Zayn yells, throwing a piece of paper him. It is a letter from the news paper. They like Zayn's work. “But Zayn, that's great, I mean, they like you!” Zayn shakes his head. “You don't understand. I'm not ready for this okay. My work is not that good. It doesn't matter! And you had no right to...” But Liam stops him. “It matters to me.” “What?” “You're art. It matters. It helps me to stand up every day and go to school, even if your friends are doing everything to make me want to stay home. But they're not me right?”

 

Harry is in Karen's Cafe, cleaning some tables as the phone rings. “Karen's Cafe.” “I'm calling for Harry Styles.” “Yes this is him!” Harry says, wondering who would want to call him besides Liam or Hazel. “Hey it's Louis Scott. Um...I really need your help.” Harry frowns for a moment. “Sorry this isn't him!” He hangs up and shakes his head.  
“What was that?”, Hazel asks him. “Uh, wrong number!”, Harry answers. Hazel looks confused at her best friend. “But you just said it was him. What, did you forget your name?” She laughs but she stopped as she notices that Harry isn't in the mood. “What's wrong Hazza?”, she asks. “Well...this was Louis, he wants me to tutor him.” “Oh.”

They boys from the basketball team don't stop to bully Liam. In fact it gets a lot worse. As the boy gets to the riverside on Friday morning everything is full of trash and they had destroyed the basketball hoop. “Damn!”, he screams. They can humiliate him as much as they want, but this place means a lot to him. “Hey, if Louis did this. I'm sorry.”, a familiar voice said and Liam turns around to see Niall standing under the trees. “Why are you friends with him, anyway?”, he asks angrily. “Because sometimes he's different. Sometimes he is really nice, and funny, and caring. And sometimes there's no one else.” Liam shakes his head. “You could do better Niall, you know that.” “Maybe.”, Niall says. “But maybe I don't want to. You have to give him a chance. He is really not that bad!” Liam laughs and turns around to walk away. “Give him a chance. After all he did to me?” Niall looks at his feet. He shouldn't be here and he knew it. He should be on Team Louis and he is really. But he can't help but notices that the two brothers are miserable and maybe he can help in some way.

“I think you should do it.” Hazel sits down beside Harry. “What?”, Harry asks her. “Tutoring Louis. Make him stay away from Li!” Harry nods slowly. “I was thinking the same thing this morning. Did you see the riverside? It is terrible, what they are doing to him. And I don't think they will ever stop.” Hazel sighs. “It shouldn't be like this. He doesn't deserve it you know!” “I will talk to Louis, promise Hales. Everything is going to be okay!”

A few hours later Harry is knocking at the door from Louis house. He can see that Louis wasn't expecting him. “Hey see, if you really wanna learn I can help you.” Louis looks a little confused at the curly haired boy but he smiles. “Well great, that's...perfect!” “But I have to conditions!”, Harry says. “First of all, Li does not find out okay? Ever!” Louis nods. “And number two, you'll leave him alone!” “I don't really have much of a choice do I?”, Louis answers smiling. Harry doesn't give the smile back. “Okay, tomorrow morning, 7 a.m., at the dock.” “See you there!”, Louis says still smiling as he watches Harry walk away.

As Louis arrives at the dock the next morning with café and a box of crackers, Harry is already there. “You're late!”, he says instead of good morning. “I brought breakfast!” The older boy opens the box and finds a bracelet in the prize packet. He looks at the younger boy and grabs his wrist. “This is for you!”, Louis states smiling. “Stop it!” Harry responds and shakes his head. That makes Louis smile even more. “Don't say I never gave you anything!”

It is the night of The Burning Boat Festival and everyone us there to watch the boat burn. Hazel is searching for her friends as she meets Joy. “Hey Hazel!” “Joy!” “I just wanted so say that I'm sorry. Louis can be a total jerk.” “Well that's true!”, Hazel says and looks at the other girl. “You know I'm just sad because...they're brothers you know. They supposed to go through this together. I saw how Dan is with Louis and it's not even better than ignoring his other son. But instead of hating him they hate each other.” “I know.”, Joy sighs. “You know, Louis can really be different. I don't know why he is acting like this!” The voice of Coach Cowell breaks their conversation! “Hello everyone and welcome to the Burning Boat Festival. This evening is about letting go. But it is also about new beginnings. Some chances might be over tonight but I promise you there will be new opportunities, better ones. Because sometime you have to lose something to find something new and sometimes giving up is really a sign of strength. Because saying goodbye to something or maybe even someone that had accompanied you for a long time is one of the hardest things in the world. And letting it behind shows that you are brave. So tonight is for those who fight and who take the chances. It's for those who are not afraid of alternation. Tonight is for you my friends and for everything new. To letting go.”  
“To letting go!”, the crowd answers and and everyone cheers as Simon set fire to the boat. “Hazel, we're over here!” Liam is standing a few meters away. Hazel turns to Joy. “I have to go. Thanks, I guess. For being so loyal!” The girls smile at each other and wave goodbye. “Why are you talking to her?”, Liam asks his best friend as she arrives at the boys. He sounds a little angry. “She is nice!” “She is Louis' girlfriend!” “Yeah, but that doesn't mean she can't be nice. Anyway, she started talking to me." "Whatever!", Liam mutters and turns away from Hazel. " Wait, I'm sorry, Li, I didn't know that it bothers you.” “No I'm sorry.”, the boy says and puts a arm around her shoulder. “I'm not better, I talked to Niall today, again.” “Oh the blondie?”, Hazel asks. “But I thought he was okay?” “He is, but he's still on the wrong team!” Hazel smiles. “See you finally got the whole team thing!” They both laugh but Harry can't join them. All he thinks is that Liam would never forgive him if he finds out about Louis. "Harry don't look so sad!", Liam says, trying to make his friend laugh. "Nice bracelet anyway!"

Louis is also at the festival and he catches him self looking for Harry. The tutor lesson this morning had been really fun. But then he remembers why he was doing this. He has to focus on the revenge, because he can't lose again. He can't give up his dream, not yet. “Hey boyfriend! Are you okay?”, Joy asks and gives him a soft kiss on the lips. “Sure!”, Louis answers." I was just thinking about letting something go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I know this is kind of short, it's more like a filler or something. Next will be longer!
> 
> Have a beautiful weekend :)


	4. Got it all wrong.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I can't help but wonder how we all got so screwed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song to this chapter is "Got it all wrong" by Wakey! Wakey!. Great band, you should really check them out. Their front man was guest starring in One Tree Hill. 
> 
> Also I really enjoyed writing this one so I hope you guys like it. It's all about the famous after game party
> 
> Have fun xx

“Why did we decide to go to this party again?” Hazel asks as Liam stops his car in front of Louis' beach house. “Because Louis asked me to!”, he answers. “And you two are friends since when?” Liam gets out of the car and Harry and Hazel follow him. “Look Hales, it is a after game party, the whole team is here. And I don't want Louis to thinks that I'm afraid of him. You didn't have to go though!” Hazel laughs. “Of course I had to. Anyone has to take care of you at least.” Liam shakes his head and they go inside. “Liam, you made it!”, Louis greets them. “Who are you're friends?” “I'm Hazel.”, the girl answers, not taking the hand Louis offers her. “And you are?”, Louis asks Harry. The curly haired boy refuses to look Liam's brother in the eyes. “Harry”, he mumbles and follows his friends into the living room.

“And you said this is his second house? Like beach house, like they have another one even bigger than this?” Hazel gasps. Harry is searching for the toilet and she and Liam just watch the other kids drinking. “Liam, come play!”, Niall says and it is clear that he already drunk a lot. “And what's the game?”, Liam asks as he comes closer to the table, Hazel following him behind. “I never...”, Niall smirks and Zayn comments: “And yet apparently you have!” He hands Liam and Hazel two cups. “I start”, he says. “I never had sex on the beach!” Louis and Joy raise their cups in unison and drink. “My turn!” Louis claims. “Oh let's see. Um... I've never.... I've never had a dad who wished I was a stain on the bed sheets.” Everyone at the table holds his breath and watches Liam. Liam himself takes a deep breath and walks around the table towards Louis. “Li, please, he isn't worth it!”,Hazel tries to stop her friend, but he places his own cup in front of Louis at the table. “Then you're welcome to mine.” He walks away and Hazel goes after him right away. They hear Louis calling Niall down, because he invited Liam to the play. For a second Liam wants to turn around and defend Niall, but he doesn't.

As Harry got out of the toilet Zayn is leaning on the wall waiting. As he sees Harry he smiles a little. “How's the tutoring going? You're tutoring Louis right? It's ok. He tells me everything.” Harry isn't sure what to say to Zayn because he has never really talked to him before. “Yeah, he said he needed some help.” Zayn laughs. “Maybe you could teach him to stop being such a jackass.” Now Harry smiles too. “I will put that on the lesson plan.” Harry wants to walk away but Zayn stops him. “Just be careful, ok?” Harry turns around, confused. “Yeah, sure!” “Does Liam know you're helping Lou?” Harry looks at him not able to answer this question and Zayn's smile comes back on his face. “You know, you say a lot when you keep your mouth shut. It's okay. I'll keep mine shut too.” He closes the door of the bathroom behind him and lets Harry all to himself again.

Harry finds his best friend looking at some family photos of Louis' family, really upset. “What happened, Li?” “My ass of a brother happened.” “What did he say this time?” Harry asks concerned. “Doesn't matter!”, Liam mumbles. “I will not let him take me!” “Have you guys ever talked?” Liam looks up to his friend, definitely not sure were this question is coming from. “Of course. We talked on video chat last night and he wrote me good night messages.” Harry smiles a little but shakes his head. “I'm just saying you're so hypersensitive around each other. And… I get it. I just think that maybe everything he says, you take the wrong way, and vice versa.” “Okay, there is no misunderstanding what he said. And why are you defending him?”, the older boy is getting really angry with his best friend. “I'm, I'm just, I'm trying to bring some perspective. I mean…It's a really screwing situation and I'm sure having you around isn't any easier for him than it is for you and I think maybe if you guys could just talk…” Liam cuts him off. “Okay, tell me that I'm not hearing this.” Now Harry is angry too. “Then what are you doing here, Li? Obviously, you're looking for something, right?” “I'm not going to let him win.”, Liam says trying to control his voice. Harry ran his hand through his hear. “Fine!”, he says. “Fine. You know what? You don't let him win. And I'm going home!” He turns around and ignores Lima calling “Harry!”, because he really wants to get out of this perfect house with it's screwed up stories.

Unfortunately he runs into Louis on his way out. “You're leaving?” “Louis!”, Harry says angrily. “You promised me you'd be nice!” Louis looks really confused and innocent. “I am. I invited him to this freaking party!” “Yeah to pick on him in public? Great job. What did you say anyway?” “What? He...it was just a joke really. He took it the wrong way. How do you think I should handle this?”, he asks and catches himself looking into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. “Oh it's easy. Stop being such a...!” Harry stops. “Jerk!”, he adds and walks out of the door.

Zayn is at the balcony smoking a cigarette as Liam joins him. “I saw they published your comic strip . It's really good.” “Whatever you say!”, Zayn answers but he smiles little. “But I have one question.” Li says as he sits down beside the other boy. “Why do you want to be anonymous?” Zayn laughs. “Well if you really read it you might have noticed the irony. I don't know, but I think my friends wouldn't get it. Other than me some of them are really into this being famous thing and all the other stuff.” Liam nods slowly. “Okay, the point is...you want to express yourself but you don't want people to know it's you.” Zayn smirks. “I guess I'm just a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a jack ass.” Liam laughs and Zayn joins him. “Or maybe just a tortured artist.” Zayn stops laughing and looks pervasive at the boy with the bright brown eyes. “Look, I don't need you defending me and my work. I don't need you analyzing it or interpreting me either. And in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't need you at all.” Liam smiles. “Pretty sure, eh?”

Inside the beach house, Louis is not really amused to see Liam talking to his best friend. So even if he had promised Harry and Joy to leave him alone he plans another shot on his brother. “Do you want some comedy?”, he asks the others around him. He puts a record in the recorder and starts it. _“Welcome to this years prom king and queen Dan Scott and Karen Payne.”_ As he hears his mother's name, Liam comes back inside where everyone is watching the video. _“So Karen, what is secret of your love, why is it so perfect.”_ The girl on the video laughs and the boy says. _“God sex!”_ Everyone in the room s laughing by now. “Who is the girl?”, Niall asks, also laughing like the others. “It's my mum!”, Liam says, pressing his lips together. _“So do you think you two will get married someday Karen?” “Yeah maybe. I mean why not. Dan is amazing and I think when you come to visit us ten years from now, yo can see the kids playing in the beautiful backyard of our big house , where we can be a happy family.”_ Liam can feel the tears in his eyes. He can not describe how much he hates Louis in this moment. “At least their dreams came true for one of them, right?”, Louis says, making lot of the others laugh again. Liam swallows and tries to hold back his tears. He isn't going to cry in front of all the people. “Yeah, except for the happy part, right?”, he answers, turns around and left. Hazel, who didn't know what to say or do before follows him. “Li, wait please.” He doesn't turn around. “Leave me alone!” “But Liam!”, she tries to take his hand. “Don't Hazel, just don't. I said leave me alone!” “But..!” “Now!”, he screams and turns around. She doesn't follow him this time. Instead she goes back into the living room. “What were you thinking, you stupid bastard!”, she screams at Louis. “Whoa, calm down babe. Can't little Liam defend himself?” “Just shut up okay! He is your fucking brother, why don't you get that?” Louis just stares at her.. “Think about it!”, she says.

Hazel didn't know where to go since Liam had left with the car, so she had locked herself in the bathroom. A few minutes later she hears a soft knock on the door. “Hazel, are you in there? It's Joy. Please open the door.” Hazel turns the key and Joy opens the door. She locks it behind her and sits down next to Hazel on the ground. “What do you want here, Joy?” “Just had to get out of this chaos down their. And I couldn't stand being around Louis and this other lying idiots any more.” “Mhh...”, Hazel rests her head on her knees. “You have to know that Louis is different. Or was different at least.” Hazel smiles. “I just didn't get it. You're so...nice.” The blonde girl laughs. “Nice? Well thank you, I guess.” Hazel shakes her head, smiling. “No I meant...I don't know, you're just completely different than him!” “You know sometimes I think that, maybe, we're not even different at all. Maybe we're all just the same. And then I think, what if we're not? Why don't we make more out of it. But I wake up everyday and I'm still the head of the cheerleaders and I still have the high school basketball star as a boyfriend and I don't even know how this all happened.” She leans her head on the other girls shoulder. “I know”, Hazel says. “Like how did we all get so screwed up?”

Harry is sitting on the landing stage as Louis shows up. “I thought you left!” Harry looks up to the older boy. “Yeah I tried to. But this stupid cap never showed up.” “Well I'm glad you didn't!”, Louis smiles. He sits down beside Harry. “Thank you for holding back.” “What do you mean?”, Harry asks a little confused. “Well you could have called me a lot worse than jerk. I totally deserve it.” Harry takes a deep breath and looks down at his hands. “Look, I've been thinking a lot about this tutoring thing. I'm sorry. I just don't think it's a good idea.” Louis gives him a surprised look. “Because of Liam?” Harry nods. “Well, obviously, yeah. I don't know what I was thinking. There's no good that can possibly come of this.” “Really?” Louis looks in the green eyes of the curly haired boy. “I thought I saw you guys fight back there.” “Meaning what, that I should keep tutoring you to stick it to him? Maybe that's how they do things in Louis land, but I'm not gonna do that to my best friend.” Louis nods slowly. “Yeah maybe you would do me a favour. You know sometimes I think it would be a lot easier if I get kicked out of the team. I could just be a normal teenager you know?” He looks into Harry's eyes. “I wouldn't have to act like someone I am not!” Harry stands up. “Well, yeah, I think I'm gonna find Liam then.” He walks towards the beach house and Louis follows him. “Uhm, you should know that he left a while okay.” Oh great, I guess I'm walking!”, Harry says sarcastically. He walks away but Louis is right behind him. “Let me give you a ride home.” “No it's...” “It wouldn't be a problem, I can take Zayn's car. He obviously isn't driving any more tonight.” “Louis, I'm really fine!” Harry says, while pulling off the beaning he'd been wearing all night. Louis opens the door of the passenger seat for Harry. “You're a little high on yourself, aren't you? Going around telling people you're all fine. Let me drive you home. It's the least I can do.” “Well then, okay!”, Harry agrees and gets into the car. The ride is rather silent but it isn't a bad silence at all. They both have to think about a lot of stuff. After a few minutes they arrive at Harry's house. “Yeah this is my house. Um... we're staying here while we renovate the mansion.” Louis laughs. “It's not like I was trying to show off.“ “Wasn't that your default setting? Sorry.” “Harry, can I be honest with you?” He turns his face to the younger boy. “I don't know, can you?” Louis takes a deep breath. “I lied earlier. I really love basketball. It means everything to me. If I lose it, it is over for me. And it's not just me you know. It's also my dad. He is...If I screw up, it'd destroy him.” He looks down at his hands and Harry can not help but feel sorry for him. “And it will destroy me.” “But Louis, it's...!” Louis cuts him off. “I really need your help! I came to you because you are the best tutor in school. It is you or nobody else.” Harry sighs. He knows he shouldn't to this. He shouldn't even be here in this car, with the wrong brother. But he sees that Louis isn't just acting, he really is miserable. “Okay fine. But only for this semester. And only if you let Li go.” Louis smiles. “I promise you!”

None of them really sleeps well this night. Niall and Zayn stay at the beach house. They had drunk a little to much so they couldn't drive home. They share a bed in the guest room and as they lie next to each other they are both thinking about the same boy. Hazel also stays at the beach house because she didn't know how to get home without Harry or Liam. She and Joy sleep at the couch because Joy is avoiding her boyfriend. They talked hours before they finally fell into a restless sleep fingers intertwined. Louis is upstairs alone in his own room. He turns from on side to another because he has to many thoughts in this head. As he finally dozes of he dreams about his father yelling at him because he got kicked out and Liam being the new Tree Hill champion. And he dreams about a curly boy with green eyes. Harry lies in his bed, listening to “Iris” by the Goo goo dolls and looks at his phone. He wrote Liam a message but the older boy hadn't answered yet. Liam is also looking at his phone rereading Harry's message over and over again. **Li, please don't be mad at me any more. Was just trying to help. Love you, Hazza xx**

In the next morning Liam wakes up early. He grabs is basketball and walks out of the house. He is almost at the riverside as a car stops beside him. It is Zayn. “Get inside the car Liam.”, he says. “And then what? You will kidnap me again?”, Liam laughs but gets in nevertheless. “Look Liam I'm sorry. Louis isn't acting fair and neither did I.” “Well, I'm getting used to it.” “No I mean it. It wasn't okay how we treated you and I'm sorry.” He stops his car at the riverside. Liam opens the door. “Thank you!”, he says and the boy both know he doesn't mean the ride. Liam gets out of the car as Zayn says, “Wait.” He gives him a blue beanie. Harry's beanie. Liam frowns. “Louis had borrowed my car last night and I found this. It's you're friend ones, isn't it?”

Louis walks into his girlfriend's room to see Joy lingering on the bed with the music turned up so loud that she doesn't hear him coming in. It is playing a song called “Shattered” by Trading Yesterday. He lowers the volume and she looks up. “Joy, love!” He says. She takes a bag which was laying beside her and throws it at him. “What's that?”, he asks confused. “Stuff you forgot here!” He looks more exact at the stuff in the bag. “But that's...that necklace was a gift Joy, what is going on?” “I won't need it any more.” Louis sits down beside her and tries to pull her into a hug but she pushes him away. “No Louis, it is over. I finally saw you clearly for the first time last night. The way you treated me, the way you treated Niall, the way you treated your brother.” Louis frowns. “Don't call him that.” Joy shakes her head. “And the way you're playing that boy.” “What? Are you talking about Harry? Is that what this is about? JJ, he means nothing.” Joy stands up “Okay, if that's the case, then you're an ass.”, she yells. “And even if he does mean something, you're still an ass and what's really sad, Louis, is that you're too stupid to get that. I don't know when you turned into this jerk. I really thought you had changed, I thought we were finally working. But obviously I was wrong. So thank you for being such an amazing son of a bitch last night. You really made this a no-brainer. And now get out of my room!”

Harry is scrubbing the counter at Karen's Café, when Liam walks in. He smiles as he sees his older friend. “Hey, I was beginning to think I would never see you again. You're avoiding me, right?” Liam nods. “A little.” Harry takes the hand of his friend. “Li, I was just trying to help. You just like, jumped down my throat. We've always been able to talk about stuff, you know. I just had this crazy idea that if... you could see things from Louis' side... “ He sighs. “You're just a real pain in the butt sometimes.” He squirts Liam playfully with the water bottle in his hand, trying to make him laugh. “I'm sorry okay?” “Yeah. At least we can still be honest with each other.” Harry smiles and continues scrubbing the counter. “Yeah. At least.” “So, if anything were going on with you... anything important or weird, or confusing... I mean, you could still be honest with me about that, right?”, Liam asks. Harry looks up, not sure were this is coming from. “Yeah sure. I mean of course.” Liam presses his lips together. He tosses Harry's beanie onto the counter. “You left that in Zayn's car!”, he says before he turns around and walks away from Harry, who is standing behind the counter, not able to say anything at all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was it, one night and everything is screwed up.
> 
> Thank you for reading :)


	5. Hanging on for hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are you hanging on for hope?  
> It's all you've got worth living for.  
> Is it much too hard to cope the road out?  
> There's a tension when we speak  
> The income's overrated  
> but it's worth it when we meet on common ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Hanging on for hope by The new Amsterdams. Beautiful song!
> 
> Enjoy :) xx

“I just hate it, the two of you fighting, you know!” Harry and Hazel are at Karen's Café. “Why can't you tell him why you're doing this. He'd understand.” Harry shakes his head. “I don't know Hazel. I lied to him, I get why he is angry.” “But this ain't fair. You were just trying to help!” She is so furious that she almost boils her coffee over. Harry smiles. Sometimes she  has too much temperament . “And Hazel you can't tell Li that you knew?” Hazel stops. “What? I'm not going to lie to him.” She looks very upset. “Hales, he needs you okay? And in fact, you already did. You didn't told him either!” The girl shakes her head. “No that's not fair Harry. He needs you too, and I was the one who talked you into this!”  
They both turn around as the front door swings open. “Sorry we're not …”, Hazel starts but she stops as she sees who just arrived. “Paul!”, she screams and jumps into the arms of the dark-haired man. “Woah, Hazel, as powerful as we love her!” Harry smiles. “So good to see you Paul. You missed a lot the last weeks!” Paul looks a little concerned. “How is Liam doing?” “It's not easy all the stuff with Louis and his Dad.” Paul nods. "I'm glad that I'm back now."

Liam walks along the main street as he sees Zayn's car. He is about to raise his hand, but he hesitates as he recognizes something weird. Zayn stops his car at a green traffic light. The driver behind him sounds his horn bot Zayn doesn't seem to notice it. Or he just doesn't care.  
As the light turns red, Zayn floors the accelerator.  
“Zayn!” Liam shouts and watches the other cars standing on the brakes. “Zayn what are you doing?”  
The other boy stops his car only a few meters away from where Liam is standing, on the next green traffic light. Liam doesn't think long and jumps on the passenger seat. “Zayn!” He gasps still in shock. “What is wrong?” “It is none of you business!”, Zayn answers looking straight forward. The light turns yellow. “Please Zayn!”, Liam begs. “I know you don't...” “First of all”, Zayn says as he passes the crossroad. “You don't know me.” He raises his voice. “And second of all, you don't know me, okay?” To Liam's surprise stops Zayn the car on the next red light. He turns his face to Liam. “Get out please. I really need some time alone!” Liam wants to protest, but he doesn't.  
Instead he gets out. “You're right, I have no idea why you're doing this. But please be careful!”

Louis is lying on his bed, eyes closed. He tries to identify the pain he feels in his chest. He had never ever thought he would miss Joy this much. And the worst part is, that she hates him and he can't even blame her. He didn't want this to happen, he really didn't. He knows he had been wrong and that he had been more than awful to Liam. And on top of it there is this stupid father-son-game at the weekend. He hates his life right now.

“Niall can we talk?” “Sure Joy, come in!” Niall is very confused about this visit but he doesn't ask because Joy is looking as if she had cried the whole night. “I broke up with Louis!”, she says as soon as they enter the room. “For good this time.” “What?”. That is another thing Niall didn't see coming. “I couldn't stand his behaviour any more. But...I'm worried. He is so...just not himself lately.” “I know!”, Niall nods and sits down beside her on his bed. “I mean he wasn't Mr. Nice and stuff. But I get your point. He's not acting like Louis.” Joy wipes a tear from he face. “You know I don't regret the break up. We wouldn't end up happy together. But I still care for him and I really want him to be happy.” “I'll talk to him, okay?” Niall rubs her back in circles to comfort her. “Thanks Nialler!”, she smiles. “You're the best!”

“Louis, why are so distracted today?”, Harry asks while looking over his practice exam. “You know”, Louis starts. “Me and Joy broke up!” “Joy and I”, Harry corrects him automatically. “What she broke up with you too?” Louis grins for a second before he sighs. “I just...didn't see it coming. We weren't the perfect couple and we always had our on and offs but this time it seems to be for good. It's just...She seemed really hurt as she broke up.” “Well maybe you should have worried more about her when you were together”, Harry says. “I'm sorry, but come on, it's true.” “No you don't know the first thing about Joy and I.” “Me and Joy!” “Whatever”, Louis says and stands up. “Where are you going?”, Harry asks confused. “Don't know. Just don't wanna stay here.” Now Harry stands up too. “Louis, please I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. You were right I don't know anything about your relationship.” Louis gives him a sad look. “No, you were right. I treated Joy pretty bad. She had every right to walk away. Okay, yeah, it was my fault. I screwed up. I just wish I had another chance to say how sorry I am.” “Nice work”, Harry smiles. Louis looks at him. “ That was the truth!” Harry laughs and hands him a piece of paper. “No, on your practice exam. 81.”  
“Oh.” Louis looks at it as if he doesn't believe it. Than he looked at Harry again and smiles. “You know it's funny. I think we've actually talked more than Joy and I ever did.” Harry smirks.  
“Joy and I - good job.” “Yeah, you too. Hey are you coming to the game?” “Umm... That depends on how you do on your English exam. Anything less than an 81 I'm staying home and watching The X Factor.” Harry smiles at Louis and grabs his bag. “I'll give my best!” Louis promises.

“Liam I have a surprise”, his mum says enthusiastically as he opens the door. “Close your eyes!” Liam does as he had told, not sure what to expect. “Now open it.” “Paul!”, Liam screams and hugs his Uncle. “You're finally back. I didn't knew you were coming.” “Yeah that's the part of a surprise.” Liam laughs. He had really missed Paul, who was almost like a father to him. “In fact it is very good that you are here. At the weekend there is this Father-son-game and since you're to closest to a father I've ever had I figured I'd ask you.” He smiles at Paul, who smiles back even brighter. “I would be honoured!”

“I understand Liam has asked Paul to play in the basketball game. Do you think that's wise?” Dan is standing in Simon's office and acts really upset. “Why not?”, Simon asks, staying calm as he ever did.  
“Well, Paul isn't exactly a father.” Simon smiles. “You're not the best father either, Danny, and you're playing.” “You know what Simon?”, Dan says with a disgusting tone in his voice. “You will realize soon enough that this kid only causes trouble.” He walks out of the office only to bump into Liam. “I heard you've got a new father, kid!”, Dan smiles sarcastically. Liam looks at him with disgust. “Anyone is better than you Dan!”

As Harry walks into Karen's Café he sees Liam and stops. They hadn't talked in a week and he isn't sure what so say to him. He turns around, but Liam already saw him. “Harry, wait. How long we gonna do this?” Harry stops. “Do what?” Liam sighs as he runs his hand trough his hair. “Avoid each other.” Harry shrugs his shoulders. “You tell me, you're the one who's upset!” “And you're the one who lied to me.”, Liam said. “I...”, Harry looks at his hands. “I don't know what to say, Liam, expect I'm sorry.” “Just....explain me why you're with Louis. I mean considering the past few weeks and what he's done.” Harry shakes his head. “I can't.”  
Liam looks at his best friend in disbelief. “You can't? Well, fine, than I see no reason to talk to you again.” He is really upset, not because Harry were with Louis, but because of the lies. He turns around to walk away. “Liam, fine! Yes, I know how you feel about him. But there's something you don't know. I promised I would tutor him if he left you alone.” Liam turns back. “What?” he expected a lot, but this? “I'm doing it for you, Li!”, Harry says and walks away from his best friend. Liam isn't able to move because he can't believe what Harry just said.

“Joy!”, Louis screams. “Come on please, open the door.” “Why?” Joy asks from her window. “Give me one reason, why I should even talk to you.” “Because I'm sorry Joy!”, Louis shouts. Joy disappears from the window and Louis thinks she would close it but instead she opens to door. “You have never apologized to me before. Or to anyone else.” “I mean it Joy. I really didn't want things to end like this.” Joy sighs. “When I let you in, will you tell me what's going on with you?” Louis shrugs. “I think I owe you an explanation.” They sit down on Joy's bed and Louis looks nervously at his hands. “I don't know where to start.” “What about right from the start?”, Joy smiles at him, no longer angry. “I...I think I like boys?” “What?” “I...I am gay and I definitely wasn't sure about it when we started dating but I guess I am now. And I'm sorry that I wasn't more honest.” To Louis surprise doesn't Joy seem upset. “It's okay Lou.” She takes his hand. “I know you're dad and I know that this is really hard for you. All I ever wanted was a little honesty in our relationship. I wanted to know how you feel. I'm glad you came to me.” “So...so you're not angry?” “Not any more Lou. I knew that we weren't meant to be. So it is okay.” Louis smiles. They talk for a few more minutes, probably more they have ever talked in their entire relationship, before Joy brings him to the door. “Joy”, he asks before leaving. “Yeah?” “Do you...”, he takes a deep breath. “Do you think we can stay friends?” Joy smiles. “I would love that!”

Harry is on the roof of Karen's Café, where they had build a miniature golf course when they were younger. Liam steps behind him. “I'm an idiot.” Harry smirks. “I know!” He hands his friend a golf club and a ball. “And I'm sorry. I miss hanging out with you Hazza!” “Yeah I miss hanging out with you too.” “Listen”, Liam says and Harry turns towards him. “Listen, I appreciate everything you did for me. I do, Haz...” He runs his hand trough his hair like he always does when he is nervous. “But how about you let me handle the team from now on, okay?” Harry nods. “Okay!” Liam smiles and pulls his best friend into a hug. “Man, I've missed you!” They continue playing. After a while Liam says “So you can stop tutoring Louis now!” Harry looks up. “Umm. No, I can't.” “Harry!” “Liam, I can't. I promised. If I break that promise, I'm just as bad as you think he is.”

Friday after school Harry walks to his car as someone calls his name. “Harry!” He turns around. It is Louis. “Got a sec?” “Hey, yeah, what's up?” Louis shows him his test. “Check that out!” “An 84! That is so great!” Louis smiles and holds out his arms for a hug. “Yeah, hey, congratulations!” Harry gives him a short hug. “I suppose I see you a the game tonight then?”  
“I am true to my word!”

“You guys suck out there. It's embarrassing.” Dan says to the other fathers after the first half of the game. “For you maybe.”, Paul responds. “Come on. You play happy family with the girl I got pregnant in high school, and I'm the one to be embarrassed?” Paul shakes his head in disbelief. “No it's embarrassing cause we're old man, playing horrible and that's the way it's supposed to be!” “Not for me!”, Dan says and stands up. He walks into the boys locker room.

“You gonna bring you're best game or what?” He asks Louis. “What?” “You give your best and I give mine and we see who wins.” “Dad...”. Louis tries but Dan cuts him off. “You don't wanna see who's better? Cause I can definitely beat you the way you played tonight.” “Calm down, little brother!” Paul walked into the locker room after Dan. “This is not your place Paul!” “But this is not your place either Danny. This night should be about the boys.” “Fine!”. Dan shrugs. “See you out there Louis!” Then he is gone. Paul looks at the boys. “If you're not giving your best, I'm gonna hurt you.” They laugh. “Hey and Louis. Let Dan be Dan. You're doing great."

At their way out to the gym Harry stops Liam. “Hey what's wrong?” “Nothing!” “You didn't even say hello to me earlier.” Liam shrugs. “Please, Li, tell me what I've done.” Liam bites his lips. “I saw you with him!” “Who, Louis? God, he got a good grade on that English exam. It was nothing.” “I want to believe you, Harry. I do. But I don't think you're telling the truth.” Harry takes the hand of his best friend. “I'm telling the truth Li. There's nothing going on.” “Okay. I believe you" He looks at Harry's wrist. "Nice bracelet!” Liam smiles and leaves.

“To make this second half of the charity game more interesting let's make the score 0:0 and the next basket wins!”, the announcer says. “Okay Ravens, let's do this!”, Davis says. “Raven's on three.” They put their hands together. “One, two, three, RAVENS!”  
Louis receives the ball and runs towards the basket. He is about to jumped as Dan blocks him. He falls on the floor and the crowd gasps in shook. “Couldn't let you win this easily!”, Dan says to Louis who is still lying on the ground. Liam helps him to get up. “Do you want to beat him?”, he asks. “Yes. But I'll do it my way!” “Okay!” The game continues and Liam hands the ball to Louis who makes two steps before he trips the ball over his foot. Dan takes the ball and does a fast break. "That was a sloppy turnover, Louis. That's not like you.” Louis laughs while he was trying to mark up his dad.  
“That's because it was on purpose.” “On purpose? Why?” Louis stops dead. “Because you don't deserve my best game, dad. Look, I could have beaten you. You know it and I know it. You know, if you want to mess with that, go ahead. I'll give it to you.” He steps back and Dan makes the final shoot. “You didn't beat me, dad.”, he says between the cheers and screams. “You never will.”

Liam is one of the first leaving the gym. He doesn't really want to talk to anyone right now. As he reaches the parking lot he notices Zayn's car. He walks up to it and sees Zayn sitting behind the wheel. “Hey Zayn, I missed you at the game.” Zayn looks up and Liam holds his breath as he sees the other boys tears. “W...what's wrong?” Zayn shakes his head not able to say anything. Liam gets in the seat beside him and touches his shoulder softly. “Has it something to do with the red lights?”  
“She was driving to school to pick me up. She was late, so she ran a red light.” Zayn sobs. “It was one light at the wrong split second and it ended for her. My mom ran one red light. I run them all the time and nothing happens. It's not fair.” He cries even harder and Liam pulls him into a hug. He doesn't really know what to say right now so he just strikes his hair. Suddenly the door of the car is opened. “What are you two doing there?”, Louis shouts. Niall and Joy are standing behind him. Liam gets out of the car. “Let Zayn alone.” Louis looks at him. “How dare are you to say I should leave my best friend alone?” He pushes Liam against the car. “Louis, it's enough!”, Niall says and tries to hold him back. In the mean time Zayn got out of the car too. “Don't freak out Louis!”, he says wiping his tears away. “Why are you talking to him? What kind of friend are you?” Louis screams. Zayn shakes his head. “Do you know what date is today?”, he almost whispers. “My mum died tonight Louis. Seven years ago. And you forgot. So what kind of friend are you?” Louis gasps. “Zayn...I'm sorry...I...” “What is going on here?”, Harry and Hazel join up with the others. “Nothing!”, Zayn says in a cold voice. “I was just about to leave.” He looks at Liam. “Will you join me?” Liam blushes. His eyes met Harry's but he looks away. “Sure.” He says and gets in the car. The others watch them disappearing. Then Niall touches Louis' shoulder. “Hey mate, it's okay, you couldn't...” “Nothing is okay!” Louis says and walks away from his friends. Niall looks at Joy, not sure if they should follow him. “I take care of it.”, Harry says and gets after Louis. 

“Louis, please wait.” Harry follows the older boy down the alley. He breathes heavily as he outruns him. “Please Lou, talk to me.” “What are you my tutor or my shrink?” Harry smiles a little.  
“Whatever you need me to be.” They stop at a park bench and sit down. It is already pretty dark so Harry can barely see Louis' eyes. “I'm a terrible person Harry”, Louis admits. “Don't say that.” “But it is the truth. I was a horrible boyfriend for Joy and I'm even worse at being a brother. I always thought that I was a good friend but it turned out I suck at that too.” "You don't..." "I am. It is Zayn's mum's death date Harry. And I left him all by himself. He doesn't have anyone. His father is working on a boat, so sometimes he doesn't come home for month. But I was there for him. I know it might not seem like we're as close as you and Liam are, but we had always been there for each other since we were little. And now I let him down." He buries his face in his hands. Harry doesn't know what to say so he put his arms around him. “I still have hope for you Lou, you know. You're one of the good ones, I can feel this.” The older boy smiles a little under his tears and huddles against Harry.

“Sometimes I just wonder how our life has changed like that so fast.” Niall, Joy and Hazel ended up together in Joy's bedroom. Neither of them had wanted to go home alone after their friends had fought. “Yeah I know, Joy.” Niall smiles. “If you had told me two weeks ago I would spend my evening in your bedroom with two pretty girls I would have laughed.” “Shut up Nialler!”, Joy laughs and throws a pillow at him. “You are aware of the fact that we're basically on different teams!”, Hazel says. “What?” Niall looks at her. “Yeah well, there's Team Liam and there's Team Louis, and the last time I checked I was on Liam's team and you guys were definitely not.” Niall and Joy giggle. “It's like modern Romeo and Juliet!” Joy says. Niall looks confused. “Wait, who is the love couple in this story?” “Not sure. Whether Louis and Harry or Zayn and Liam. We will know soon enough!” The three of them look at each other and break out in laughing. As she calmed down Hazel says. “As much as I enjoyed the idea of two teams on the school yard, I'm very glad how it turned out.” Joy nods. “I never thought I would say this, but I'm happy to have a girlfriend who hasn't joined the cheerleaders yet." She frowns. "We are friend, aren't we?” Hazel nods. “I would like to call you my friends.” They all come closer together and hug each other. “ I just wished our other friends would see it the same way, especially Liam and Louis.” Niall sighs. Joy takes his hand. “We won't lose our hope!”

“Thank you for coming with me.” Zayn stops in front of Liam's house. They had driven around town for a while in silence and than they stopped at the riverside, talked and watched the night sky. “You're welcome. If you need anything else let me know.” Zayn looks at his hands. “There might be something...but...no it's stupid forget it.” Liam pulls Zayn's chin so that their eyes met. “It is okay Zayn. Whatever you need.” “Can I...Can I stay at your house tonight? My Dad isn't home and I just... I don't think I'm able to be alone this night.” Liam nods. He gets out of the car and opens the door. “Just be quiet, I guess my mum is already sleeping.” They sneak into his bedroom. “Is it okay if we share a bed?" Liam asks. “We don't really have a guest room.” “No problem.” Zayn smiles. They both get out of their trousers and under the blanket. Liam turns around so that they face each other. “Good night, Zayn. We should try to sleep now. Tomorrow is going to be better.” Zayn closes his eyes. “I hope so!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next one will take a little longer to update, cause I go on vacation, sorry :( 
> 
> Thank you for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading :)   
> I hope you liked it :))


End file.
